Should I trust the Quick Dip water tests?

zachjohnson65

zachjohnson65

AC Members
Mar 31, 2007
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Staunton, VA
I just found my Bosamani Rainbowfish dead in my 15 gal. :confused: First thing i did was test my water to see is there was anything different from the last time(1 week). I use Jungle brand 5 in 1 Quick Dip. Nothing different. Nitrate 20 ppm, Nitrite 0 ppm, Gh 150 ppm,KH 180 ppm, Ph appro. 7.6 These are the same readings i always have. Can these tests strips be trusted? Help Please I do not like to lose fish. I have been having some bad luck lately.

No obvious signs of diesease or parasite. I do 10% WC weekly via light gravel vac. Alternate filter media (2 filters) every month. Feed Flake, frozen, pellets, algae tabs.
 
I am sorry about your fishy. :( The consensus around AC is that the liquid tests are much more accurate than the strips. I had both at one time, and the strips always read differently than the liquid tests.

~brandy
 
If you could answer some of these questions for us maybe that will help:

1) How long has your tank been set up?
2) What is your stocking list?
3) What do you mean exactly by "alternating" the filter media?

Just so you know...Bosamani rainbows are really active fish and need much more space than a 15 Gallon, but maybe you were planning on upgrading tanks in the future?
 
1)Tank has been up for 2 months The two rainbows were added 1 month ago.
2)The one (female) just died within the last 24 hours
Only other fish is a small poka dot syndontis.
3) I switch the cartrige in my bio wheel every month and then i change my filter floss in my AC 20 every other month.

Yes I know it is a small tank. But i wanted to make sure i liked the rainbowfish enough to make them my future Main 60-80 Gallon tank.
 
I would recommend doing a large water change (just in case), and pick up a liquid test kit. Bosamani's are a bit more sensitive to water quality than some other fish.

I really don't think you need to switch out your cartridges either. The only time a cartridge needs to be replaced is when it's falling apart. Just rinse the cartridge in old tank water to remove debris. If you use activated carbon (which isn't really necessary but some people like), you can purchase refills of that instead of replacing the entire cartridge.
 
I have had fairly reliable results from the Quick Dip test strips compared to liquid tests with one big exception: the pH. The pH test on the strips is worthless.

One big cause of die-offs in aquariums less than 2 months old is high ammonia levels. The test strips you're using do not test for ammonia.
 
i see there is no ammonia test in that set , with switching bio wheels you are effectively taking most of your beneficial bacteria out . ammonia is highly toxic , aswell as nitrite .

a liquid master test kit would serve you well , or atleast the ammonia and nitrite tests .
 
Let me be a little more clear, I only switch the Style A cartridge that contains the carbon encased in a blue floss. Not the bio wheel.

Question? Doesn't my weekly water changes help to keep the ammonia levels at bay. With my Nitrate readings present (not spiking)and my Nitrite levels 0 doesn't that mean the the cycle is working. How is my ammonia levels up? I'm going to order a test kit tomarrow.
 
Weekly water changes help to lower the levels of Nitrates in your tank, and will help dilute the Ammonia concentration if it's present...but it's possible to have a spike in Ammonia if something happens that causes the biological filter to be overwhelmed.

I've used test strips before...they might show consistent results from strip to strip, but for me they were consistently off in terms of the real numbers...usually reading lower or higher than they should, and were not very accurate.
 
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